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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville City Council will consider the purchase of a $6.2-million property at 2,000 Holiday Drive next to the Econo Lodge for a possible low-barrier homeless shelter.
The land is two parcels, about 3.8 acres and currently has a 27,000 square-foot brick office building that at one point house about 100 workers. The building’s paved parking lot on two sides has 69 parking spaces with on-street Holiday Drive parking available, as well. The resolution states the current owner, MIS PROPERTY, LLC, and the city “have engaged in mutual discussions and have tentatively agreed to terms of a proposed agreement for a purchase and a sale of the property”.
The two-story building will need to be renovated, but city staff concludes it’s suitable for such renovation.
The agenda for Monday night’s meeting says, “at this point, plans have not been developed and costs are unknown at this time,” and the proposed purchase agreement has a contingency for a short study period through Oct. 30. At the same time, the city will engage with various nonprofits about possible operation of the shelter, and seek possible philanthropic funding of the needed renovations. The purchase price would be paid through CIP Contingency Fund with money already set aside for such an anticipated purchase.
The city hopes to close on the purchase Nov. 30, and Monday night’s agenda item seeks Council’s approval for purchase. If Council approves, there will be an agenda item at the next meeting Oct. 6 introducing an appropriation of the funds toward the purchase. That will be a first reading, and the actual vote will be taken during an Oct. 20 public hearing meeting.
Click here for the agenda item.
Among the reasons the Council tabled recent consideration of an ordinance that would have banned overnight camping, including sleeping on the Downtown Mall, was the concern that unhoused people who were sleeping there, especially those dealing with addiction or mental health issues, would have nowhere to go.
A low barrier shelter, one that does not have any type of work requirements or restrictions, has been on the City’s wish list for some time and is seen as the solution to that question.